AT least 30 persons died while 30 others were rescued after a passenger boat capsized in the Laguna Lake near Binangonan in Rizal, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Thursday.
PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said 51 passengers and crew were on board the motor banca Princess Arya when it turned over at 1 p.m.
No person was reported missing.
Initial investigation showed the boat left the Port of Binangonan and was en route to Talim Island when it was hit by strong winds.
Balilo said this caused the passengers to panic and move to the left side, causing the motorbanca to tilt.
M/B Princess Arya was allowed to sail since the storm signals due to Typhoon Egay have been lifted.
However, Balilo said the PCG would investigate why the passengers were not wearing life jackers.
“Dapat po mayroon silang life jacket at ‘yan po ay pinapa-check na natin…Inuuna lang natin ang rescue operations at paga-account ng bodies. Titingnan natin ‘yung mga na-rescue rin,” Balilo said.
“Kumukuha rin tayo ng statements. May instruction na po si Admiral Abu, ang aming commandant, na tingnan kung ano ang puno’y dulo ng insidente,” he said.
(They should’ve been wearing life jackets. We’re checking on that but we’re completing the rescue operations and the accounting of bodies first. We’re also checking in with the rescued victims. We are also gathering statements. Our commandant, Admiral Abu, has issued an instruction and directed us to investigate the incident.)
The boat was around 45 meters from land when it was hit by strong winds, causing all passengers to panic and move to one side, which caused the vessel to capsize, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a separate statement.
